Kevin Stefanski makes important decision on Browns' starting quarterback.
The Cleveland Browns are 2-7 coming off a Week 10 bye. With their playoff window closing, head coach Kevin Stefanski is doing whatever it takes to salvage the season for the frustrated Browns fanbase. Ahead of a winnable matchup against the 3-7 New Orleans Saints in Week 11, Stefanski has announced that Jameis Winston will be the starting quarterback, per Tom Pelissero on X, formerly Twitter.
Winston has done a great job with improving Cleveland's bleak passing attack since Deshaun Watson's season ended due to an Achilles injury. In two starts, Winston has completed an average of 26.5 passes for 284.5 yards and four total touchdowns. The Browns are 1-1 with the 10-year veteran under center.
Jameis Winston expected to be Browns' QB1 moving forward
Winston has given the Browns a reliable arm in the passing game in recent weeks, so it's not a complete shock that he'll remain the starting quarterback until further notice. It's clear that the team wants to continue balancing the offense, even though Nick Chubb has made a successful comeback since his knee injury. Chubb has slowly gotten back to form, but his best outing to this point is 52 yards on 16 attempts in Week 8.
With uncertainty looming over Watson's injury and his overall production, there's a golden opportunity ahead for the 30-year-old Winston to become the franchise quarterback once the 2025-26 season begins.
Currently on the active depth chart, the Browns' next best candidates are Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe; Neither have done enough to impress the coaching staff. Winston has formed a strong connection with wide receivers Cedric Tillman and Jerry Jeudy, and Cleveland will assuredly address the position further in the 2025 NFL Draft.
For the moment, Winston has been the best player for the job. The former No. 1 overall draft pick will face a struggling Saints team in Week 11.
